Andy Leaning

Andy Leaning

Leaning with York City in 2015
Personal information
Full name Andrew John Leaning[1]
Date of birth (1963-05-18) 18 May 1963[1]
Place of birth Howden, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Playing position Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
York Railway Institute
0000–1985 Rowntree Mackintosh
1985–1987 York City 69 (0)
1987–1988 Sheffield United 21 (0)
1988–1994 Bristol City 75 (0)
1994–1996 Lincoln City 36 (0)
1996 Dundee 0 (0)
1996–2000 Chesterfield 22 (0)
Total 223 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Andrew John "Andy" Leaning (born 18 May 1963) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and has since been employed as a goalkeeping coach.

Having started his career in the amateur game, he turned professional when he joined York City in 1985. From there Leaning went on to have spells at Sheffield United, Bristol City, Lincoln City, Dundee and Chesterfield before retiring from playing. Since that point he has been employed as goalkeeping coach at a number of his former clubs including York City, Sheffield United and Chesterfield before moving to Leeds United.

Playing career

Leaning had trials with York City in 1979 at the age of 16 and he went on to play for York Railway Institute and Rowntree Mackintosh in the Northern Counties East Football League as an amateur while working for British Rail.[2][3] He later played in York's reserve team and was offered the chance to turn professional with the Third Division club in July 1985.[1][2] Following an injury to first choice goalkeeper Mike Astbury, Leaning made his first team debut in a 1–1 draw at Newport County on 6 November.[2] He played in all of York's seven FA Cup games in the 1985–86 season and his "finest" performance came in York's 3–1 defeat after extra time against Liverpool at Anfield in the fifth round on 18 February 1986,[4][5] being named man of the match following a "heroic" performance.[6] He was able to do a "fine job" in Astbury's absence during the 1985–86 season,[2] which he finished with 39 appearances in all competitions.[4] He made 47 appearances for York in all competitions in the 1986–87 season.[7]

Having made 86 appearances for York in all competitions, he was allowed to leave the club in 1987 and following a brief trial with Everton in May 1987, where he played one game in the reserves, he joined Second Division team Sheffield United on 28 May.[2][5][8] He made 25 appearances in all competitions for United before signing for Third Division team Bristol City for a fee of £12,000 in November 1988, having initially joined on a month's loan on 27 September.[2][8] After making 89 appearances for City in all competitions he joined Third Division team Lincoln City on 24 March 1994.[8] While at Lincoln, supporters would chant lyrics from George Formby's "Leaning on a Lamppost" in recognition of Leaning.[9] He made his debut in a 2–1 defeat to Crewe Alexandra on 26 March and after making 51 appearances in all competitions for Lincoln he signed for Scottish First Division team Dundee in August 1996.[8][10] He returned to England after signing for Second Division team Chesterfield in October 1996, where he made 29 appearances before retiring in 2000.[8]

Coaching career

Following his retirement from playing, Leaning moved into specialist coaching and he became goalkeeping coach at Chesterfield,[11][12] later having appointments at Scarborough and Barnsley.[3] He holds UEFA 'A' licences in coaching and goalkeeping coaching.[3] He was working as a coach for the York College Football Development Centre in 2006.[3] He became goalkeeping coach at former club Sheffield United at the beginning of the 2002–03 season,[13] before leaving the club in May 2010.[11][14] Leaning was appointed goalkeeping coach at former club York City on a part-time basis on 8 July 2010.[15] He departed the club a little under a year later on 16 June 2011 after the appointment of Paul Musselwhite as player-goalkeeping coach.[16] He joined Leeds United as academy goalkeeping coach during 2012, and later coached the club's first team goalkeepers before leaving in July 2014.[17][18] Leaning returned to York for a second spell as goalkeeping coach on 19 May 2015, working under manager Russ Wilcox.[19] Jackie McNamara later became manager, and Leaning left the club on 8 December 2015.[20]

Personal life

Born in Howden, East Riding of Yorkshire, Leaning's son Jack is a cricketer who has represented Yorkshire at junior level from the age of 11.[21] In June 2008 his unbeaten 164 for the county under-14 team against Cheshire was the highest score ever by a Yorkshire youth player.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 364. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jarred, Martin; Windross, Dave (1997). Citizens and Minstermen, A Who's Who of York City FC 1922–1997. Selby: Citizen Publications. p. 60. ISBN 0-9531005-0-2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Leaning power for 'keepers". Evening Press. York. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  4. 1 2 Batters, Dave (2008). York City: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 364–413. ISBN 978-1-85983-633-0.
  5. 1 2 "City's Keepers – 1970–94". York City South. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  6. ↑ "Andy leaning towards York again". Vital York. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  7. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 368–413.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Andy Leaning". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "Whistle blowing proves a Korea move for Una". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  10. ↑ "Andy Leaning". The Lincoln City FC Archive. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  11. 1 2 "Andy Leaning – Goalkeeper Coach". Sheffield United F.C. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  12. ↑ "Chesterfield : 1946/47 – 2008/09". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  13. ↑ "Cooper plans return". Evening Press. York. 14 September 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  14. ↑ "Keeper coach Leaning leaving Lane". The Star. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  15. ↑ "York City sign Andy Leaning as goalkeeping coach". BBC Sport. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  16. ↑ "City Sign New Goalkeeper". York City F.C. 16 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  17. ↑ "Redfearn aided by "City" axis". The Press. York. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Leeds goalkeeping Andy Leaning coach leaves club". Yorkshire Post. Leeds. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Andy Leaning is back as York City goalkeeping coach". The Press. York. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  20. ↑ Flett, Dave (8 December 2015). "York City part company with goalkeeping coach Andy Leaning". The Press. York. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  21. 1 2 Carroll, Steve (10 July 2008). "Heworth ace re-writes the Yorkshire youth record-books". The Press. Retrieved 16 July 2010.

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